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Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear
Lots-O' Huggin' Bear, more commonly known as Lotso, for short, is the main antagonist of Pixar's 11th full-length animated feature film, Toy Story 3. He is a large, pink, anthropomorphic, strawberry-scented teddy bear who used to rule Sunnyside Daycare like a prison until Andy's toys arrived. He is also the former boss of Ken, Big Baby, Stretch, Sparks, Chunk, Twitch, Bookworm and the Monkey. He was voiced by Ned Beatty, who also played Otis in the 1978 Superman film, Charles Meachum in Shooter, and Tortoise John in Rango. Personality Lotso came across the toys' well being and at first seemed caring, thoughtful, compassionate, welcoming, friendly, and polite, so he possessed all of the good qualities of the stereotypical soft teddy bear. This was further emphasized by his strawberry aroma and his hugging of Buzz Lightyear (hence his name Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear) when the toys first arrived at Sunnyside Daycare. He even went so far as to "promise" the toys that different kids at the daycare center would continue to play with them and that they would never feel unloved or rejected. However, this facade merely concealed his true nature later in the film, as he turns out to be a dark, greedy, sadistic, conniving, manipulative, traitorous, selfish, and rage-driven prison warden, as he rules Sunnyside with an iron fist and imprisons new toys in the Caterpillar Room to test their ability to endure the abuse of young toddlers there. This nature was mostly brought about from his perceived betrayal from Daisy after being accidentally lost and replaced, though he was considered to be a kindhearted friend to both Chuckles and Big Baby before the event. Due to his painful and unpleasant past, Lotso possessed a negative and opprobrious philosophy about being a toy, as he believes that toys are nothing special and originally made for future disposal. He also finds the meaning of love to be an complete illusion, as he taunts Woody and the gang for their compassion towards Andy and cruelly mocks Big Baby for his compassion towards Daisy by destroying his old pendant. While in power as a head toy at Sunnyside, he also seemed to develop nihilistic tendencies, as evidenced by his statement that all toys were ultimately going to be tossed out like garbage, and there is no salvation for them. Additionally, Lotso not only wanted to forget his own relation with Daisy and pretend it never even existed, but he also wanted to destroy all of Big Baby's ties to Daisy and essentially all toys' ties to their owners. At the landfill, despite feeling seemingly thankful and appreciative towards Woody for saving him from the shredders, Lotso still held on to his beliefs that children would discard their toys out of boredom and disinterest without realizing the physical and emotional pain they are causing to the toys. This was shown when he refused to push the emergency stop button to save Woody and the gang from the incinerator and instead left them to die (though they end up being saved by the Squeeze Toy Aliens). The best way to describe Lotso is as a cruel and nihilistic sociopath that hides behind a cheery facade. He has been compared to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin for his tyrannical and sadistic ways. Lotso is also the only Toy Story villain who was depicted as being incapable of redemption, as both Sid and Stinky Pete changed their ways while Lotso stayed rotten to the core. Disney Parks Lotso makes meet and greet appearances at Disney's Hollywood Studios along Woody, Buzz and the other Toy Story characters and is part the then Toy Story Block Party Bash Parade (Now Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun) and at Disney's California Adventure. Lotso is a very popular attraction at Hollywood Studios and California Adventure. Toy Description From The Official Toy Story 3 Website "Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear is a jumbo, extra-soft teddy bear with a pink and white plush body and a velvety purple nose. This lovable bear stands fuzzy heads and shoulders above other teddy bears because he smells like sweet strawberries! With a smile that will light up your child's face and a belly just asking to be hugged, Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear is sure to become a bedtime necessity. Stain-resistant. Spot clean plush surface with a damp cloth." Quotes Trivia * Lotso is the only Toy Story villain who is Pure Evil, although Evil Buzz Lightyear from the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command series also comes very close. ** In addition, he's also the second main antagonist of an animated Disney sequel who is Pure Evil after Percival C. McLeach from The Rescuers Down Under. However, in the standards of Pixar sequels, he is the first. * Lotso shares some similarities with Sid Phillips and Stinky Pete, the main antagonists of the first two Toy Story movies. ** His similarities with Sid Phillips, the main antagonist of the original Toy Story. *** Both are gaolers. *** Both are abusers. ** His similarities with Stinky Pete, the main antagonist of Toy Story 2. *** Both are gaolers. *** Both seemed to be kind and loving at first, but were then revealed to be cruel villains in the end. This is mainly because of a sense of feeling rejected or unloved, which were clearly seen in both Pixar villains. *** Lotso's fate by the end of the film is quite similar to Stinky Pete's fate. Both are unexpectedly found and find themselves in an unwanted predicament: Stinky Pete is taken home by a girl named Amy who likes to draw on her toys, while Lotso becomes a fly attractant for a garbage truck. *** Oddly enough, the music that played during Lotso's defeat was the same music heard during Stinky Pete's defeat. ** However, unlike Sid and Stinky Pete, who both have redeemable traits as Sid grows up to be a civil garbage man (which was his cameo in Lotso's movie) while Stinky Pete enjoys being doodled by his new owner Amy, Lotso remains vindictive, proving to be far more evil than both Sid and Stinky Pete. This easily makes Lotso the most evil villain in the Toy Story franchise. * Lotso is the third main Toy Story villain to be a toy. The first two being Stinky Pete and Emperor Zurg, the two toy villains that were introduced in Toy Story 2. Stinky Pete is the main antagonist of Toy Story 2, while Zurg is the main antagonist of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins. * In a viral marketing campaign, Pixar posted two commercials, for a "real" Lotso teddy bear manufactured in 1983 (perhaps even longer), on YouTube. One was a typical American toy commercial from the 80's, and the other was done in Japanese. Both feature the "Toy Story Collection" edition of Lotso, that comes with the Certificate of Authenticity. * The truck Lotso ends up reads "KRUMM". This same word was on Al McWhiggin's suitcase in Toy Story 2. * Lotso is the reprehensive for Toy Story 3 in the 10-Disc Ultimate Toy Box Trilogy set containing the whole Toy Story trilogy. *In the Toy Story 3 book with Woody's POV of the film, Lotso has more lines when he confronts Andy's toys at the dumpster. * Lotso was originally conceived as a teddy bear from the early 80's Care Bears toy line. This idea was not dropped until after the storyboard was completed and can be seen in the tie-in book The Art of Toy Story 3. ** In the same source, the animators also admitted that they increased Lotso's cruelty in the final version in order to ensure that people understood that he got exactly what he deserved, as the test screenings had some kids still sympathizing with him after his backstory was revealed. ** In that same book, Lee Unkrich, the director of the movie, says he got the inspiration for Lotso's backstory when his niece left her favorite toy - a doll named "Peggy" - at a Burger King resturant, and had replaced her with a new doll named Peggy. He wondered "What would the old Peggy feel like if she came back and discovered there was a new Peggy?" ** In addition, He also mentioned why Lotso's defeat was being tied to the truck. "I never wanted to send him through the shredder or the incinerator, that would be sadistic. But he definitely gets his just desserts on the front of that garbage truck." * Lotso made a cameo appearance in Up, the last Pixar movie released before Toy Story 3 when he was first spotted next to Dee's bed when Carl's house flies past her window outside, and it was later confirmed that he would be a new character in Toy Story 3. * When Lotso is helped to the emergency stop button on the trash conveyor belt, instead of pushing the button to stop the belt and save the other toys, he glares at them and yells, "Where's your kid now, Sheriff?!" This is a wink to the Internet meme "Where is your God now?", a sarcastic way of inducing fear in a victim (the internet meme in turn originates from a line in a Billy Crystal routine making fun of the incongruity of Edward G. Robinson being cast in The Ten Commandments (1956): "Where's your Messiah now, Moses?") * Lotso's comeuppance is fitting because it has given him two things he had been asking for: ** The true meaning of love, which he got from the garbage man, who remembered having a Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear toy as a kid. ** A fitting end to a considerably miserable life, which he would face from the elements, bugs, and mud; and/or from eventually being thrown away again, leading him to die in the shredders or the incinerator (with the incinerator being more likely since he now knows to "grab something metal" if he approaches the shredder). *** However, despite this, he could reappear in Toy Story 4, possibly returning as the main antagonist. ** Thus, in a way, he got a good and a bad ending. ** One of the movie's themes involved characters finding their purpose in the changing world or perishing. In the end, his purpose is to perish. * His thick Southern accent, initially soft-spoken demeanor, and many of his iron fist policies as "Warden"—including throwing uncooperative prisoners into "the box"—are clear references to "The Captain," Strother Martin's character from Cool Hand Luke (as well as Lotso' voice actor, Ned Beatty's previous character, Sheriff J.C. Conners, from White Lightning). * According to the official movie magazine for Toy Story 3, Lotso was originally created for A Tin Toy Christmas (which later became Toy Story). * Lotso was portrayed as a "good toy" back when he was friends with Chuckles and Big Baby. However, when Lotso snapped and turned into the antagonist (when he saw that his owner, Daisy replaced him with another Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear toy), he was dropped from the list of protagonists. * Lotso also appeared in the Sunnyside level of the Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC versions of Toy Story 3: The Video Game where he's also voiced by Ned Beatty. He is also seen in the enchanted glen in their toy box, In these version of the game, his fate is not revealed nor is it seen. * In the PS2 and PSP versions of the Video Game, Lotso has a silent appearance, and his fate is not revealed nor is it seen here either. * He also has a appearance in the Ninetedo DS version. In that version, his fate is revealed and seen. * Lotso appears in three of the LEGO Toy Story 3 sets. * Lotso's true colors may be hinted at before the release of the film in the LEGO Toy Story 3 playset based on the scene where he leaves Andy's toys to die. * In 2012, the Disney Store released a talking plush toy of Lotso with a talking Woody doll. * Test audiences who had sympathized with Lotso for his backstory had wanted to him to push the button in the incinerator scene to redeem himself, but according to the DVD commentary, director Lee Unkrich, explained that the filmmakers decided to drop Lotso's chance for redemption in order to make the audience who had gotten to know Andy's toys over the past 15 years in three movies care about the characters even more as they went to the fire, when it looked like the end for them before the Squeeze Toy Aliens rescued them with the claw. Another reason is because they didn't want Lotso to get off so easy, so they just increased his cruelty to ensure to the audience that he got what he deserved (being strapped to the grille of a garbage truck). * Some people blame Daisy's parents for Lotso's villainous demeanor, as they could have went to look for their daughter's lost toys, instead of replacing Lotso. It is likely that by the time they went back to where they left Lotso, he was already on his way home. * Lotso's later knowledge of Woody and his friends' escaping in the first place is not revealed, but it is likely that the Monkey managed to free himself and alert Lotso, leading to Lotso beating up the Chatter Telephone for information on Woody's whereabouts. * An advertisement for a Lotso bear appears in Tokyo in Cars 2, the first Pixar film released after Toy Story 3. * Lotso was originally supposed to appear in the first film, but the technology needed to create his fur had not existed until the third film. A pink teddy bear named "Ted" appears to be an early design of Lotso makes a brief appearance in Toy Story. * Lotso was seen on stage at the 2015 D23 expo promoting Toy Story 3's upcoming sequel, Toy Story 4. Whether or not he'll appear in the movie is currently a mystery as Pixar is currently making Toy Story 4 a stand-alone sequel to Toy Story 3, rather than a continuation sequel. Plus Ned Beatty hasn't confirmed if he wants Lotso to return. * Lotso is quite similar to the following villains outside the Toy Story franchise. **The Governor from the The Walking Dead TV series ***They both lead a seemingly idyllic community that is later revealed to be more like a prison. ***Both are introduced in the third installment of the franchise. ***They receive strangers and pretend to be kindly and gentle to them. ***In reality, they are corrupt, cruel, tyrannical leaders with a dark side that they hide to their people but not to their henchmen. ***They both have lost their "special girl", (Lotso lost his owner; The Governor lost his daughter) which drove them to darkness and insanity. ***After the Sheriff leader of the opposing community (Woody and Rick Grimes) rallies their group against them, they initate a battle against them. ***Both are sociopaths and control freaks. ***Their guests discover their dark sides, prompting them to hunt them. ***They punish and interrogate their traitors by beating and torturing them. ***They both have their own trucks to patrol in; Lotso's is a dump truck while The Governor's is a stolen military truck. ***Both are Pure Evil. ***Both have southern accents. ****However, besides their similarities, they both are a little different: *****Lotso takes over Sunnyside without getting rid of anyone in his way (even though he let Jessie and the other believe he killed Woody, however Lotso did this to make sure they wouldn't disobey his rules); The Governor kills National Guardsmen to rule the town of Woodbury. *****Lotso's fate is getting tied to the garbage man's truck, while The Governor dies by getting stabbed and shot. *****Lotso's weapon is a cane mallet, whereas The Governor's is a Steyr AUG sniper rifle. **Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars franchise. ***Both of them were introduced in a movie released in a year that ends with a "0". Palpatine was introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, the second film in the original Star Wars trilogy, which was released in 1980, Lotso (minus his appearance in Up) was introduced in Toy Story 3 released in 2010. ***Both are the main antagonists of the third film in a trilogy. Palpatine was the main villain in both the final chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy Return of The Jedi and the final chapter of the Star Wars prequel trilogy Revenge of The Sith while Lotso was the main villain in Toy Story 3. ***Both of them are rulers of an empire. ***Both are brainwashers (Palpatine brainwashed Anakin Skywalker and turned him into Darth Vader, Lotso turned Buzz back into his deluded space ranger state.) ***Both are the masters of heroes. ***Both are Pure Evil. ***Coincidentally The way Big Baby tossed Lotso into the dumpster mirrors how Darth Vader tossed Palpatine down a shaft in Return of The Jedi. And in doing so results to their redemption. ***Also John Ratzenberger played a character in both the films they debuted in. (Major Bren Derlin in Palpatine's debut and Hamm in Lotso's debut) **Annie Wilkes from the 1990 horror film Misery, released twenty years before. ***Both hide their sociopathy behind a happy, friendly facade. ***Both lose their minds when the people they idolize betray them (in Annie's case it is her favorite writer, Paul Sheldon, in Lotso's it is his owner, Daisy). ***Both are torturers. ***Both are gaolers. **Kai the Collector from the 2016 Dreamworks film Kung Fu Panda 3. ***Both first appeared in the third film of a computer animated film series. ***Both are the main antagonist of the third film they debuted in. ***Both were once good later turned evil and became villains. ***Both were once a friend to a hero (Lotso; Chuckles, Kai; Oogway). ***Both have a odd gang of henchman (Lotso has his Gang, Kai has his Jombies). ***Both brainwashed the protagonist's friends and became the masters of those heroes (Lotso reset Buzz, Kai turned Po's friends into Jombies). **Lord Cutler Beckett from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. ***Both are Disney villains. ***Both were introduced in a Disney sequel (Dead Man's Chest and Toy Story 3) ***Both were the main antagonist of the third film in their series (Beckett was the main antagonist of At World's End). ***Both are overlords of an evil empire. ***Both are Pure Evil. ***Both are the master of heroes. **Sentinel Prime from the 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon. ***Both were the main antagonists of the third film in their series. ***Both were once good later turned evil and became villains. ***Both were once a friend to a hero. ***Both are the master of heroes. **Kefka Palazzo from Final Fantasy VI. ***Both were the main antagonists of their stories. ***Both were insane sociopaths. ***Both were nihilists. ***Both are Pure Evil. ***Both want to kill the heroes. ***Both are torturers. **Koba from the Planet of the Apes films. ***Both were the main antagonists in sequel films. ***Both were tyrannical rulers. ***Both had tragic backstories. ***Both are Pure Evil. ***Both had betrayed the films' protagonists. ***Both have very extreme views on their beliefs, for example, Koba thinks that humans aren't worth anything and need to get rid of them, while Lotso is extremely nihilistic and thinks that no toy should care when they are about to die, because "they are all just plastic waiting to be thrown away". While these opinions aren't that horrible at first glance, they take it to an extreme level. *In the Disney Cruise Line show Villains Tonight, while Hades from the Disney film Hercules - is looking for villains to call, he mentioned Lotso. However, he doesn't call Lotso as he "always brings that baby with him." *Lotso is the only main Toy Story 3 character to not appear in the film's epilogue during the end credits. *Technically, Lotso became evil for nothing. Daisy was just a little girl and didn't know any better, her parents were the ones who left them and never came back, she had no idea Lotso could come alive, and Daisy only replaced him (and with another Lots-o-Huggin' Bear to boot) because she missed him. So, Lotso ultimately overreacted and was about Daisy "throwing" him out. Chuckles tried to explain this to him, but Lotso wouldn't listen. ** Despite this, Lotso's backstory is still sympathetic, considering the fact that he had evidently traveled through the wilderness for a long time just to get back to Daisy, only to find he had been replaced. *Lotso acts as a foil to Woody. Both were in charge of the toys at their location (Woody, Andy's House and later Bonnie's House; Lotso, Daisy's House and later Sunnyside), and both ended up abandoned by their former owner. However, Woody never gave up on Andy, while Lotso gave up on Daisy. **Coincidentally, Lotso's behavior was very similar to that of Woody's original rendition in Toy Story, specifically his characterization in the Black Friday showing. Also by coincidence, both characters also ended up toned up/toned down for the final version due to unexpected events during a test screening (Woody was originally an immense jerk and lacking of compassion, but toned down after the Black Friday reel nearly shut down production of Toy Story; Lotso, likewise, had his cruelty amplified after test audiences sympathized with Lotso and wanted him to push the button to show that he got exactly what he deserved). *The truck that drove Lotso to sunnyside was a Pizza Planet truck, which has appeared almost every Pixar movie. *In the read-along version of Toy Story 3, Lotso's final scene on the garbage truck is never shown. *Lotso is the seventh main antagonist of a Pixar film who was not revealed to be evil at first after Stinky Pete from Toy Story 2, Henry J. Waternoose III from Monsters Inc., Syndrome from The Incredibles, Chef Skinner from Ratatouille, AUTO from WALL.E and Charles Muntz from Up. 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